


Fox and Pup

by ravendas



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/M, Forbidden Love, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-26 19:05:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17751713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravendas/pseuds/ravendas
Summary: When Bann Gilmore brings his only son, Roland, to Teyrn Cousland's keep in HIghever to squire, the Teyrn's daughter, Raeyla, is not impressed. But as the years go by and the quiet skinny boy transforms into a man, she begins to have second thoughts.(Originally written in 2010 and dusted out of the darkest reaches of an old laptop. For now, just tossing this out with the possibility of continuing it when the mood hits me. I still remember the general outline of events I had planned. So, we'll see if I can juggle this amongst everything else I'm writing!)





	Fox and Pup

“Raeyla! Get down from there this INSTANT!”

The voice of Teryn Bryce Cousland rang throughout the courtyard, reaching the ears of the girl perched precariously high upon the battlements overlooking the courtyard. The casual onlooker might have thought her to be a little boy, dressed as she was in breeches and a tunic with her black hair pulled back in a messy ponytail.

“But Paaaappaaaa!”

“I said NOW!” This last emphasized with a sharp gesture that brokered no argument.

Shoulders slumped, Raeyla Cousland, only daughter of the Teryn of Highever, made her way downstairs, emerging into the courtyard to face her scowling father.

“You know I’ve forbidden you to climb up there. You could break your neck! And why aren’t you getting ready for dinner? You know that Bann Gilmore is due to arrive any minute now.”

Even though she stood quietly while her father lectured, he could see the sparkle in her blue eyes when he mentioned the arrival of the Bann. “And yes, I know that you were wanting to get the first glimpse, but Nan has been looking everywhere for you. You need to get dressed and ready for dinner. You’ll get to meet the Bann and his son then.”

“But…but…”, she pleaded, giving her father her absolutely best puppy-eyed pouty face, “I can get ready really, really fast. Just one peek…and I’ll go, I promise! Pleeeassse?”

Bryce could not help but chuckle. She was Poppa’s girl and knew how to turn on the charm to get almost anything she asked for. “Oh, very well, Pup. But one quick peek only, then it’s straight to your room to make yourself ready for dinner. And no messy hair or crinkled gown….or your mother will have us both strung up. You understand?”

“Yes Poppa! Thank you!” She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before tucking herself into one of the side doorways. She always had a knack for being able to hide in plain sight. It was odd that her father had managed to find her in the first place. One of the squires must have told him that she had snuck up there. Hopefully the Bann’s son wouldn’t be such a nosey little tattle-tale like some of the others were.

Almost as though her thought had summoned them, a voice called out from the outer gate of the courtyard announcing the arrival of the party of Bann Gilmore of Hunter Fell. Raeyla tried hard not to fidget with excitement as the carriage entered the courtyard.

Looking at the carriage itself, it was obvious that Hunter Fell was neither the largest nor most prosperous of Banns from the chipped gilding, the faded crest, and tired horses, but the man who emerged from the carriage was dignified and well-dressed nonetheless, though there was a distant sadness in his eyes.  Raeyla tried hard to listen as her father greeted the Bann, but the scuffle of the servants and guards attending to the Bann’s belongings muffled whatever they might have said.  Once the introductions were out of the way, the Bann gestured impatiently and called to someone inside the carriage and a boy of about 12 emerged.

_This must be his son…the one who’s going to be squiring here._ She strained to get a look at him from her hiding spot. He was tall and somewhat lanky, with fiery red hair and green eyes that were red-rimmed and swollen as though he had been crying. Though there was a certain air of despondency around him, he held himself with the same dignity as his father, answering her father’s inquiries with a respectful tone.

A few moments later, the Teryn escorted the pair towards the main hall, passing by the doorway in which Raeyla had tucked herself. The boy trailed behind his father, seeming lost in his own thoughts. She couldn’t help but release a tiny giggle which immediately caught his attention. He fixed her with an annoyed glare, obviously believing the scruffy-looking girl to be a servant of some sort. She flashed him a grin and he merely rolled his eyes before hurrying to catch up to his father.

_Humph…stuck up little prig._ She wrinkled her nose at the retreating trio before hurrying up to her room to subject herself to the endless fussings of Nan.

\-----------------------

_I hate this. I don’t care how much of an “honor” father says it is, I don’t want it. I want to go home._

Those words had become a litany, his own personal Chant, as Roland Gilmore sat for endless hours in the carriage, enduring the hard seats and the bumpiness of the roads between their tiny Bann and the city of Highever. Being squired to the most powerful and respected Teryn in Ferelden was supposedly something that any boy should be proud of…or so his father kept telling him. But he wasn’t believing a word of it.

_Mother’s gone and now father’s sending me away. It’s not fair. He’s taking me away from my friends to live with a bunch of strangers. Why is he doing this?_

He’d stopped crying a few hours ago, the sort of silent, stoic crying that was barely accepted for a boy his age. Thankfully, his father did not berate him for crying like some boys’ fathers did….for his father had done his own share of crying himself since mother died. He could still barely remember her….only her soft voice and gentle smile as she sang him lullabies while she rocked him to sleep as a baby. He scrubbed self-consciously at his eyes as the tears threatened again, then blinked in surprise as he heard the guard at Highever announcing their arrival. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he had not noticed they were already there.

He fought to control the trembling in his hands, the reality of the situation hitting him all at once. His father stepped from the carriage and spoke briefly with the Teryn while Roland took that brief interlude to bring his emotions under control.

“Roland, come on out boy!”

His father’s tone was stern, but affectionate, for he well understood his son’s trepidation. Roland stepped from the carriage to stand next to his father as the Teryn sized him up with a wise, yet compassionate gaze. Teryn Bryce Cousland was a man of middling years and though he had the bearing of a noble, he also possessed a casual manner that implied he was a good man who cared for those around him.

_At least he doesn’t seem to be a harsh tyrant who lets his squires get beaten and abused regularly._ Roland had heard horror stories about other boys who would be squired out to nobles who treated their squires worse than their servants. Teryn Cousland definitely didn’t seem to be that type. That was one small blessing at least.

 He only had to endure a few brief questions by the Teryn about his upbringing and schooling before they were mercifully ushered to the main hall. On their way there, a faint giggle stirred him from his thoughts. He paused to find that the source was a girl lurking in one of the doorways, maybe a year or two younger than himself, dressed in worn and dirty leggings and a tunic, her dark hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, and a silly grin on her face.

_Blasted nosy servants,_ he thought to himself as he tossed her an irritated glare before rushing to catch up with his father.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Teryn Bryce Cousland and family!” The chamberlain announced their arrival into the dining hall. This was not a formal dinner with many guests, so the Teryn had opted to utilize the smaller family dining room for a more casual atmosphere. Roland mused that it made a nice gesture to have a more intimate setting to meet the family that he would be serving for…well, forever, maybe. But on the other hand, he wouldn’t be able to just fade into a crowd and lose himself in his thoughts. Thankfully, he found that hunger took some of the edge off of his nervousness as the aroma of a delectable meal wafted through the room. He found himself relaxing ever so slightly as the Teryn introduced his wife, Eleanor, and their two children. First was Fergus, a tall young man with dark hair and deep brown eyes that sparkled with humor.

“Welcome, lad! It will be nice to have a new sparring partner in the lists.” He then leaned in close to murmur softly, though loud enough for everyone to hear, “I think I’ve broken all the other squires. They refuse to fight me anymore.”

“Fergus! Don’t scare the lad on his first day here!” His mother exclaimed with mock outrage.

Roland eyed him suspiciously for a moment before the elder Cousland sibling slapped him good-naturedly on the shoulder and laughed, “I’m just kidding lad. You’ll do fine. However, it will be nice to see if you’ll be the one to give my little sister the thrashing in the lists that is long overdue.”

“In your dreams, Fergus” Roland had barely noticed Fergus’ sister standing off to the side, but once his attention fell upon her, his heart sank. She was wearing a silk gown the shade of deep amethyst and her night-black hair was coiffed into a neatly-braided array upon her head, but he recognized the quirky smile and blue eyes as those belonging to the raggedy “servant” girl that he had brushed off earlier.

_Oh Maker help me. Not even a mark that I’ve been here and I manage to insult the teyrn’s daughter._ He could feel the flush rising to his cheeks as he tried to form an apology. But before he could manage to get a word out, the servants arrived with their dinner and the Teyrna showed them to their seats. By some stroke of bad luck, he was seated next to Raeyla. He fidgeted in his seat, trying to figure out what to say to her as the servants started setting out the dinner.

“M’Lady….I’m ver-“ was as far as he got before he was interrupted by a delighted squeal.

“Oh, we’re having fish tonight! I hope you like fish…even if you don’t, you’ll like this. Nan makes the most wonderful fish dish. Haha..that rhymes! It’ll make your breath stink but unless you’re planning on kissing a girl tonight, I wouldn’t think you’d care, right?” Before he could get a word out in reply, she continued on, “And yes, I know you’re trying to apologize for earlier and it’s okay. You’re not the first person to mistake me for one of the servants. Yeah, I thought you were a stuck-up prig initially, but I figured you’re just nervous about all this. I know I would be in your place. Oh….and I’m Raeyla….but I think father already told you that.” She actually paused for a minute, but he could only sit silently, flabbergasted by her barrage of words. Then she giggled…that familiar giggle from the doorway, “You’re supposed to eat the fish, silly, not look like one!”

He snapped his mouth shut, only then realizing that he’d been gaping at her in amazement, before turning his attention to his dinner.

\---------------------------------------------------

_Sweet Andraste, I sounded like a complete and utter idiot!_ Raeyla silently berated herself as she also began attacking her dinner, though not with the single-minded intensity that Roland was. _He probably thinks that I’m a crazy as a loon now._

After she had departed from her doorway hiding spot, she had run straight up to her room and had Nan (who scolded her for being late and in such a messy state the whole time) turn her into the perfect vision of a nobleman’s daughter. Though she normally hated wearing gowns and having her hair done in elaborate styles, she endured it just for the sake of getting back at Roland for his arrogant dismissal of her. She had intended to play the part of a disinterested, yet obviously offended noblewoman to make him squirm just a little over his mistake. But when she found herself seated next to him, the whole charade suddenly dissolved and she was overtaken by the urge to spout off everything that was on her mind.

_Maybe he’s a blood mage in disguise, and is controlling my mind._ She brushed off that theory as ridiculous as she cast him a sidelong glance in between bites. He had seemed genuinely surprised by her outburst, so magical spells of mind control were definitely out.  Not to mention he definitely didn’t seem the type.

They both spent the rest of the dinner in an awkward silence as the rest of the family conversed amicably among themselves. Raeyla did find herself eavesdropping on the bits of the conversations when she heard Roland’s name mentioned and managed to discover that he was an only child and his mother had died when he was little while giving birth to his baby sister who also died. _No wonder they both look so sad_ , she mused to herself, feeling a twinge of sympathy for him. _Poor fellow, all he has left is his father and now he’s sending him away to live with us crazy Couslands. That has to be awful for him._

As the servants collected their plates and passed around the dessert, a steaming cobbler of fresh berries covered in cream, Raeyla turned to Roland, “Hey….”

He cast her a sidelong glance, a spoonful of cobbler halfway to his mouth, the expression on his face clear that he was expecting her to launch into another half-insane tirade. “Hmmmm?”

“Sorry I went off a bit earlier. I guess I’m a little nervous too. It’s been awhile since we’ve had anyone new here. Pappa says that we’ll be taking classes together. You like reading?”

A smile slowly crept over his features, lending a certain shimmer to his deep green eyes. “Yes….I love to read.”

“Then you should see our library…you’ll love it!”

His smile brightened even further and Raeyla could not help but think that it seemed to transform him from the sullen, dreary boy into a rather handsome young man. She made a mental note to do what she could to make him smile more often.


End file.
